


A Plague on Both Your Houses

by VigilantShadow



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Order 66, canon character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-17 00:46:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3508856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VigilantShadow/pseuds/VigilantShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Instead of dying in a burst of flame, Grievous lingers in the land of the living. And he has a few words for Obi-wan.<br/>Doesn't actually effect the flow of canon at all. I just thought it would be interesting to tie in Grievous' backstory with the movies a little bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Plague on Both Your Houses

               “So uncivilized,” Obi-wan muttered, throwing aside his borrowed blaster and staring down at Grievous. _Funny,_ he thought, staring at the wrecked pile of metal and smoking flesh, _I’d always assumed that the battle Grievous would die in would involve at least one lightsaber._ The flames were dying out, but in his torso Obi-wan could see the dying embers, still feeding on the preserving tissues which had kept the wretched general alive so long. His eyes still burnt with the image of the blaze, more like the aftermath of a starship’s doom than any living creature’s should be. _Well, at least it was dramatic._

               He knelt down and softly touched a bit of charred plating, just to be sure that it was real, that he hadn’t hit his head during the hectic battle and dreamt that the war might actually be _over_. The metal was warm to the touch, like living skin. But Grievous was certainly dead. There was no way he could have survived the way his chest had lit up like a supernova.

               Then, Grievous jerked. Obi-wan drew his hand back, cursing himself for tempting fate by thinking in such absolutes. The General let out a cough and turned his golden eyes on the jedi. Grievous’ life flared back up in the force, a sputtering flame of rage, just as it always was. But, Obi-wan thought, this was different. Before, Grievous had been all anger, spreading out in all directions like there was barely any room for anything else. This, though, felt more honest.

               “Jedi,” Grievous said, his voice even further distorted by the destruction of his body.

               “General,” Obi-wan said back, in what he thought was a very civil voice, given the situation.

               “I suppose it’s over then.”

               “Yes, I suppose it is. You don’t seem all that upset about it,” Obi-wan observed. Grievous laughed, though it sounded more like a cough.

               “Dooku can rot in the cold depths of space, and his ambitions with him,” He said, voice low and dangerous. Obi-wan raised an eyebrow.

               “I thought you respected Dooku.”

               “My people used to say that death brings clarity,” another laugh, as Grievous’ eyes flicked up to the sky, “I’m sure they didn’t mean in this way.”

               _What way?_ Obi-wan thought, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask, and even if he could he doubted the General would be inclined to answer.

               “Of course, you jedi and your _Republic_ ,” Grievous spat the last word with particular venom, “can rot right along with him,” Obi-wan felt his eyes narrow ever so slightly. Enough that he hoped the General might not see. But the sharp yellow eyes settled back on him, torn between pure hatred and a strange sort of glee, “if I were softer, I’d pity you. You think your Republic is so _good_.”

               “And I suppose you know differently?” Obi-wan knew he shouldn’t rise to the bait, but the adrenaline of the fight was draining away, and it left him too tired to hold his tongue.

               Despite his lack of a mouth, Grievous smiled, a spiteful sort of satisfaction spreading through his force signature.

               “Oh, _master jedi_ ,” Grievous purred, “of course I do. You think your Republic is so _righteous._ But I know better. And you,” his voice began to fade, and Obi-wan leaned in despite himself, in an effort to hear what he knew would be the General’s last words, “you’ll learn.”

               Obi-wan almost expected Grievous’ eyes to sputter out like two lights. Like a droid’s. But instead, they seemed to be the only part of him that could still be called alive. Even dead they were alive. They stared straight through Obi-wan as the he turned away, following him on his way back to his men. He could feel them as he accepted his lightsaber from Cody.

               And, when a wave of blaster bolts knocked him off a cliff, he could almost hear the General laugh.

**Author's Note:**

> OK so I know in canon Grievous eyes burst into flame. But this is an AU. I guess that the divergence is that he still has a brain??? Idk.


End file.
